valentine's day EAR FARM's Mixes

Below (after the jump) you will find links to each of the custom mixes featured on EAR FARM to date, listed from most recent to oldest. In order to make room on our server, not all of these are currently available to listen to or download; therefore, be sure to check back often so you don't miss out on future EAR FARM mixes! There's a new one posted every Friday with some special ones thrown in here and there randomly and on our favorite holidays.

Muxtape #11: A Change Is Gonna Come (EAR FARM's relaunch mix)
Muxtape #10: MARS!
Muxtape #9: Pulled From My "On-The-Go" Playlist
Muxtape #8: I Broke My Arm Playing Wiffle Ball
Muxtape #7: Happy Muxther's Day!
Muxtape #6: Songs that used to live in my TV set
Locally Grown: an April Mix Tape from Brooklyn Based and EAR FARM
Muxtape #5: 2:42
Muxtape #4: Rock Band Setlist
Muxtape #3: Fank Fod it's Friday and Finally Fpring!
Muxtape #2: April Fools Edition!
Muxtape #1: 12 Songs For A Cat Named Joe
valentine's day Mix 3: Easily the Cheesiest
National Kazoo Day: Top Ten Eleven Songs That Feature A Kazoo
You Name The Mix #1
New Wave Cure For A Serious Case Of The Mondays Mix
Presidential Campaign 2008 Mix
All I Want For Christmas Is Music Mix
Beatles Cover Song Mix
10 Songs by Sassy Magazine 'Cute Band Alert' Bands (and yes, I did some research) Mix
Saxophone Mix
Gambling Mix
Chemistry Mix
Thanksgiving Mix
Dangerous Cities Mix
Mix for Barry Bonds
valentine's day Mix 2: Easy Cheesier
"Easy Cheesy" valentine's day Mix

valentine's day Earfcyclopedia (Oscars Edition): Musicians as Actors

valentine's day Is there any argument that music and film are perhaps the two most celebrated, recognized and lucrative forms of artistic expression in our popular culture?

Is there any argument that they also generate more arguments than all other popular artistic mediums combined?

So why then, despite our obsessive dissecting, debating, analyzing and chronicling of the two, doesn't there exist a comprehensive list detailing the intersection of music and film? Somewhat related, are you sick of us asking rhetorical questions? Fair enough, we get it.

Less questions, more solutions! In this, our first installment of the Earfcyclopedia - just in time for the Oscars - this glaring omission within the annals of pop culture will stand no longer. We present you with a comprehensive as hell list of musicians who have crossed the line and tried their hands at acting. Sure, other reputable sources such as MTV and Rolling Stone have lamely attempted to chronicle this merging of artistic mediums, but frankly most of those lists suck.

Where's the love for the Kristoffersons, Kowalczyks, and Kiedises of the world (and that's just the K's)?

After the jump, peruse our list of 110+ alphabetized names of musician actors and please feel free to add any we might've overlooked. As well, before the jump you'll find lists of each of our own personal top 5 favorite musician actors. But first, some rules...

The rules are simple. First and foremost, chronology matters. In the arc of said artist's career, first singles, albums or musical performances must come before first pilots, sitcoms, movies or plays (bye bye Brigitte Bardot, Rick Springfield and Jennifer Lopez). And on that note, the musician must have been accomplished enough BEFORE trying acting that it's not laughable to imagine them performing onstage. For this reason, we've struck Bruce Willis from the list even though he was in a band before gaining recognition on Moonlighting. Also, documentaries obviously don't count, it's gotta be fiction or else.

Now - with some accompanying music selections - our own wholly-biased top 5's (with the full realization that as former Oscar winners Cher and Babs deserve to be at the top of an objective list but hey, we like playing arbitrary favorites). Ready?

Matt's Biased Top 5 Favorite Musician Actors
5. Kris Kristofferson - Who is the more manly man, Sam Elliot or Kris Kristofferson? Unless they arm wrestle in public the world may never know. However, I submit Kristofferson's work in Convoy, Blade, and The Jacket as evidence supporting his claim to the title. Something about seeing him on screen is like a big warm blanket of masculinity. And I like it. What??

4. Olivia Newton-John - With Olivia's appearances in Grease and Xanadu it's pretty safe to say that she's forever etched into the hearts and minds of people my age everywhere. Plus, I think there was a brief time in 1982 when I was certain she'd one day be my wife. Or workout partner. Blame the video for "Physical" I suppose.

Listen: "Magic" (from Xanadu)

3. Dolly Parton - Her appearances in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Steel Magnolias were pretty great; however, Nine to Five is where Dolly really shines. It's easily one of my favorite comedies ever. And Dolly is pure magic in it: "Look, I've got a gun out there in my purse. Up until now I've been forgivin' and forgettin' because of the way I was brought up, but I'll tell you one thing. If you ever say another word about me or make another indecent proposal, I'm gonna get that gun of mine, and I'm gonna change you from a rooster to a hen with one shot!"

Listen: "9 to 5" (from Nine to Five)

2. David Bowie - Um, he's Jareth the Goblin King. 'Nuff said.

Listen: "Magic Dance" (from Labyrinth)

1. Madonna - Number of movies she's in that I own? Nine: Desperately Seeking Susan, Who's That Girl, Dick Tracy, A League of Their Own, Body of Evidence, Four Rooms, Evita, The Next Best Thing, and Swept Away. Number of times I've seen the first two films in that list? Uncountable. Tell me she can't act, go ahead. I'll fight you.

Listen: "Who's That Girl" (from Who's That Girl)

Mike's Biased Top 5 Favorite Musician Actors
5. Reba McEntire - With her work in Tremors, she did what Meredith Baxter (Birney) never could: make being married to Michael Gross appear natural and believable.

Listen: "Why Not Tonight" (from Tremors)

4. Justin Timberlake - Some may point to his nascent work on the Mickey Mouse Club and cry foul but I disagree. We all loved his dominance over SNL but equally impressive was his ability to shed the boy-band past and play a somewhat convincing thug in Alpha Dog.

3. Ice Cube - More Boyz in the Hood, Friday, and Three Kings, less Anaconda please. Bonus: Cube is also rumored to be playing B.A. Baracus in an upcoming adaptation of The A-Team. Sold.

Listen: "How to Survive In South Central" (from Boyz in the Hood)

2. Mark Wahlberg - Watching Boogie Nights for the first time was a revelation; it was Wahlberg's confession to having played a long, drawn-out joke on everyone while hamming it up as Marky Mark.

1. Dwight Yoakam - His music isn't really my thing and he may look like Sloth, but goddammit he can act. See: Panic Room, Wedding Crashers.

Listen: "A Thousand Miles from Nowhere" (from Red Rock West)

Now, on to the Master List!


Earfcyclopedia: Musicians as Actors
50 Cent
Andre 3000 (Andre Benjamin)
Marc Anthony
Harry Belafonte
Big Boi
Bjork
Jon Bon Jovi
Bow Wow
David Bowie
James Brown
David Byrne
Mariah Carey
Johnny Cash
Cher
Phil Collins
Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs
Common
Harry Connick Jr.
Alice Cooper
Elvis Costello
Bing Crosby
Billy Ray Cyrus
Roger Daltrey
Sammy Davis Jr.
John Denver
DMX
Eminem
Gloria Estefan
Fat Joe
Joey Fatone
Stacy Ferguson (aka Fergie)
Flea
Aretha Franklin
Kim Gordon
Omarion Grandberry
Dave Grohl
George Harrison
Isaac Hayes
Jeff Healey
Levon Helm
Robyn Hitchcock
Susanna Hoffs
Jennifer Hudson
Michael Hutchence
Ice Cube
Ice T
Iggy Pop
Chris Isaak
Janet Jackson
Michael Jackson
Mick Jagger
Ja Rule
Seu Jorge
Alicia Keys
Anthony Kiedis
Jewel Kilcher
Beyonce Knowles
Ed Kowalczyk
Kris Kristofferson
Cyndi Lauper
Avril Lavigne
John Lennon
Huey Lewis
Courtney Love
Lyle Lovett
Ludacris
John Lurie
Madonna
Marilyn Manson
Chan Marshall (Cat Power)
Dean Martin
Dave Matthews
Paul McCartney
Reba McEntire
Meat Loaf
Bret Michaels
Mandy Moore
Alanis Morissette
Tom Morello
Mos Def
Ricky Nelson
Olivia Newton-John
Dolly Parton
Pink
Elvis Presley
Prince
Queen Latifah
Lou Reed
Justin Rice
Keith Richards
Jonathan Richman
Henry Rollins
Diana Ross
Gavin Rossdale
Erik "Everlast" Schrody
Tupac Shakur
Paul Simon
Jessica Simpson
Frank Sinatra
Will Smith
Snoop Dogg
Britney Spears
Ringo Starr
Gwen Stefani
Sting
Barbra Streisand
Justin Timberlake
Tina Turner
Eddie Vedder
Tom Waits
Donnie Wahlberg
Mark Wahlberg
Jack White
Will.I.Am
Andy Williams
Dwight Yoakam

Tell Wikipedia that EAR FARM's a-knockin'...

*above photo found HERE

valentine's day The 5 Sides Of Paul Simon You Won't See At The BAM Retrospective

valentine's day
As The New York Times first reported last night and the Centre Daily Times (?) dutifully followed up on (ie reprinted from a press release) this morning, Paul Simon will be the subject of three unique programs at the Brooklyn Academy of Music this April.

The series is entitled "Love in Hard Times: The Music of Paul Simon", and each program will celebrate a specific theme within Simon's musical oeuvre. So far, we know the following programs include:

"Songs from the Capeman" (April 1-6) - A concert staging of the 1998 Broadway Show, this time presumably without the 11 million dollars in losses.

"Under African Skies" (April 9-13) - a reprisal of the Afro-pop and Brazilian-tinged era of Graceland and The Rhythm of the Saints featuring Simon along with David Byrne, Hugh Masekela, and many of the original Graceland band members. What, no Vampire Weekend?

"American Tunes" (April 23-27) - Of particular interest, this portion of the series will feature Grizzly Bear performing alongside Simon. Wow.

Needless to say, we're very excited. However, even with an entire month of shows covering three broad themes, we couldn't help but think that the series curators must have had to make some tough omissions of Simon-related content along the way. The man's had a career for over 40 years after all. With that in mind, keep reading as EAR FARM investigates five representations of Paul Simon you probably won't be seeing at BAM...

5. Paul "The Coke-Dealing Hollywood Parasite" Simon - As immortalized in Woody Allen's Annie Hall and channeled through his character Tony Lacey. The anti-Paul Simon.

valentine's day
4. Paul "I Will License My Music In A Manner That Will Make You Loathe It" Simon - Several NBA spots used the once not-so-awful song "Father and Daughter" mercilessly throughout the 2006 season. No exaggeration, the same 30 seconds of the track ("I'm gonna watch you shine, gonna watch youuuu growwwww") ran during EVERY commercial break. The song became toxic. See also, Braff, Zach and Garden State.

Listen: "Father and Daughter"

3. Paul "The Original Lou Pearlman" Simon - It's true, the internet said so! Under the alias Jerry Landis, a young and enterprising Paul Simon took an unknown Kew Gardens-based boy band named Tico and the Triumphs under his wing back in 1961. Luckily for us, Simon would stick to talents other than that of prospective boy-band svengali for the duration of his career.

valentine's day
2. Paul "Not On My Watch, Garfunkel" Simon - At the height of his blind love for then wife Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), Simon apparently wiped all of Art Garfunkel's vocal tracks from what was supposed to be a Simon & Garfunkel reunion album and released it in 1983 as a solo album, Hearts and Bones. The title track was an homage to Fisher.

Listen: "Hearts and Bones"

1. Paul "Yes, Chevy Chase Is My Friend" Simon - Of course this song rules. This video does too, but hasn't technology advanced to the point where we can use CGI to get rid of Chevy?



Chevy-bashing aside, April is going to be a special month at BAM, and all three of these programs look fantastic. Tickets for all engagements go on sale Feb 11 to the general public (and Feb 4 for Friends of BAM).

Ticket prices are as follows: "Songs from The Capeman" (Apr 1-6 at 8pm) are: $30, 50, 65 while both "Under African Skies" (Apr 9 at 7pm and Apr 10-13 at 8pm) and "American Tunes" (April 23-27 at 8pm) are $45, 60, 75, 95.

Visit Paul Simon on MySpace

valentine's day Spam Filter: SPIN's Picks For '08

valentine's day SPIN and EAR FARM hath - sort of - reached consensus! "Who's Next" is the name of the article that graces their February issue (on newsstands now), and among their picks of 8 acts poised to have breakout years in the Ocho is Duffy (sound familiar?). Elsewhere, Hangar 18: Rockers vs. Bloggers Fantasy Football alumni Margot & the Nuclear So & So's were also chosen among the "Next" in question so big congrats to them (we're sure Dodge is quite pleased at the moment).

After the jump, some scanny-pastes from the article so you can check out their other picks without getting paper cuts. And by all means, speak your minds! How did SPIN do with their latest roundup?....

"Who's Next?" Title Page and Some of Margot & the Nuclear So & So's

valentine's day

The Rest of Margot & the Nuclear So & So's

valentine's day

Santogold

valentine's day

Black Tide

valentine's day

The Wombats

valentine's day

More Wombats (text) and Jay Reatard

valentine's day

Duffy (Redux) and Chester French

valentine's day

Chester French

valentine's day

B.O.B.

valentine's day
Listen:
Duffy - "Rockferry"
Margot & the Nuclear So & So's - "Quiet as a Mouse"

Visit Duffy on MySpace
Visit Margot & the Nuclear So & So's on MySpace

valentine's day Pazz + Jop and Idolator Pop Oh My

valentine's day Did The Village Voice intentionally sit out the last month and a half of year-end list-making in order to drop their annual Pazz + Jop Critics Poll at the least relevant moment possible? Beats me, but unloading the 35th iteration of this esteemed roundup in late January seems either like a case of editorial ball-dropping or an intentional eff you to those eager beavers within the blogosphere that shot their list-load in the long long ago of Thanksgiving, doesn't it?

Now, I haven't done my proper homework with this latest of lists (blame year-end burnout?) but there seems to be a lot of similarities - at least with regards to the best album list (again all I've really looked at) - to the Idolator Pop list. Conspiracy theory? No, not at all, seeing as Idolator's poll previously went by the name Jackin' Pop before this year's makeover.

The top 5 of both is fairly identical, just some slight musical chairs with regards to positioning....

Pazz + Jop Critics Top 5
1 LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver - 1662 Points
2 Radiohead - In Rainbows - 1611 Points
3 M.I.A. - Kala - 1611 Points
4 Amy Winehouse - Back To Black - 1492 Points
5 Arcade Fire - Neon Bible - 1212 Points

Idolator Pop Top 5
1 LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver - 1876 Points
2 M.I.A. - Kala - 1550 Points
3 Radiohead - In Rainbows - 1327 Points
4 Arcade Fire - Neon Bible - 847 Points
5 Amy Winehouse - Back To Black - 821 Points

And you can pretty much make the argument that M.I.A should actually also be number two on the Pazz + Jop based on the point total.

The similarities continue throughout the lists and perhaps only worth noting in attempting to answer the broader, Arnold Diaz-esque question: How many critics cast ballots in both polls?

577 critics voted in the Voice poll compared to 452 (Matt and I included) in the Idolator poll. Based on the differences in ballot-list setup (the Voice list is straight-up alphabetical by last name while the Idolator one is oddly separated into mini-lists by first-name letter), a side-by-side comparison of names would take waaaaaaay too much time. If you find yourself wanting to tackle this mind-numbing hunk of EAR FARM busywork instead of attending to whatever it is you're actually being paid for, have at it:

Pazz + Jop Ballot List
Idolator Pop Ballot List

By the time someone comes up with an answer to this riddle, we'll most likely be prepping our year-end lists for 2008.

valentine's day Idolator Pop '07 Critics Poll

The 2007 Idolator Pop Critics Poll has been posted and you can view the top 10 albums, as voted upon by critics and writers from around the world, below. Once again the fine folks from Idolator invited EAR FARM to take part, and we did. Below you'll find the lists of top albums of 2007 that Mike and I submitted for Idolator's poll as well as links to our individual poll pages within the Idolator site. Click through to those to find out how we voted for top track, artist, and reissue of 2007. And yes, these lists are different from what was posted in EAR FARM's Top 15 Albums Of 2007 and just might offer some insight into how EAR FARM's top album list came about.

Idolator Pop '07 Critics Poll: Top Albums of 2007
1 LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
2 M.I.A. - Kala
3 Radiohead - In Rainbows
4 Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
5 Amy Winehouse - Back To Black
6 Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
7 The National - Boxer
8 Kanye West - Graduation
9 Panda Bear - Person Pitch
10 Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?

Matt's Idolator Pop '07 Ballot
ALBUMS (descending points)
1. Radiohead - In Rainbows
2. The National - Boxer
3. Angels Of Light - We Are Him
4. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
5. Explosions In The Sky - All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone
6. St. Vincent - Marry Me
7. Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity
8. Talib Kweli - Eardrum
9. Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends
10. Dillinger Escape Plan - Ire Works

Mike's Idolator Pop '07 Ballot
ALBUMS (descending points)
1. Radiohead - In Rainbows
2. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
3. The National - Boxer
4. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
5. Pinback - Autumn of the Seraphs
6. White Rabbits - Fort Nightly
7. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
8. Menomena - Friend And Foe
9. Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity
10. Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover

valentine's day Cheer Up Hannah Montana: Top 5 Moments of Musical Fakery

valentine's day Congratulations, shunned parents of America: you finally have a compelling argument when trying to convince your children they're better off not seeing Hannah Montana LIVE in concert. When reports surfaced a few days ago that she had used a body double during her live show, it was almost as though a collective sigh could be heard emanating from behind the tall lattes of soccer moms and pops across America. No longer are you a failure in your impressionable offsprings' eyes! You now have damage control, you can spin this! You didn't fail your kids by refusing to pawn your Patek Philippe for floor seats, you were protecting them from a lurid exhibition of artifice and child exploitation. Not on your watch!

But wait. I'll give you a moment to recover from how grossly inappropriate the phrase "body double" comes across in reference to a 15-year old before riddling you this: what's the big deal? In the video (around the 2:15 mark), a look-alike comes out a second or so after the real Hannah Miley Achey Breakey Montana Cyrus gets ushered offstage and proceeds to run around with a mic for about a minute before disappearing again. Her PR firm claims that this move allows the real McCyrus time to change for her next number, all the while keeping the show flowing for the tweens in the crowd. Why is this such an issue? As far as notorious moments of musical fakery go, this will prove to be nothing more than a footnote when the dust finally settles. Want proof? Keep reading to turn your noses at the top 5 REAL fake moments in music....

5. 50 Cent at the BET Awards, 2007 - 50 clumsily lip synchs the opening bars of his new single before the vocals cut out altogether (his DJ played the instrumental version by mistake), causing him to skip around the audience in a panic waiting for the track to re-cue.

Most embarrassing moment: at the beginning when he doesn't even remotely appear to be singing, 50 Cent instead opts to take off his jacket and show his investments rather than holding the mic to his mouth for the minimum amount of time necessary to look like he was talking into it.



4. Enrique Iglesias Can't Sing, 2000 - Hearing unprocessed pop vocals is the same as seeing a celebrity mug shot (feelings of unease and superiority abound), and this one's just as entertaining as that Smashmouth clip from last year. At a concert in Poland, a stage technician secretly records Iglesias's microphone as the "singer" warbles along to a pre-recorded vocal track. The audience gets to hear the pristine studio vocal track, we get to hear the warbling.

Most embarrassing moment: Iglesias's defense of his actions, stating, "Unfortunately, there are many shows around the world that are not technologically advanced enough to handle a live performance, and in promotion of my music, sometimes I have to compromise in an effort to reach all the fans."

Listen: "Off-Key Rhythm Divine"

3. Britney Spears Returns to the Stage at the VMAs, 2007 - Despite what this list may suggest, we here at EAR FARM actually don't enjoy witnessing awkward moments unfold before our eyes. And this one is just plain sad. As a beleaguered and out-of-shape Spears sleepwalks and lip-syncs her way through a rendition of her new single "Gimme More", many of her co-performers literally carry Britney around the stage as if she'd spent hours tied up to the water-powered torture machine from The Princess Bride.

Most embarrassing moment: the few crowd reaction shots that are shown, each one an audience member unable to hide their disgust.



2. Ashlee Simpson Does a Jig on SNL, 2004 - Forget for a moment what we just said about not taking pleasure from someone else's misfortune, because sometimes awkward moments reach a level of transcendence! Here, Ashlee Simpson panics when the pre-recorded vocals for the wrong song start up without her and she then awkwardly jigs as her band gamely tries to play along.

Most embarrassing moment: when Simpson returns at the end of the show to blame her band for playing the wrong song.



1. Milli Vanilli Are Corporate Pawns, 1989 - The phrase "girl you know it's girl you know it's girl you know it's" keeps skipping from the PA during a live MTV performance, revealing the ugly truth that the duo do not really sing either live or on their mega-successful studio album. Their Grammy for Best New Artist is revoked, the disgusting underbelly of the record industry exposes itself ever so briefly, and Rob Pilatus later overdoses and dies. Pay attention Hannah or Miley or whatever your preferred moniker is, showbiz can be a bitch.

Most embarrassing moment: when you, all of your friends, and the rest of the world gave up on this #1 hit-having band in favor of something more "real"; such as, Paula Abdul, Richard Marx, and/or Martika.

valentine's day Don't You (Forget About Me)

Catching up with the bands that have been featured on EAR FARM is a task that's long overdue. So we'll get to it in one second; but first, a note to all artists/bands out there who would like to send music to EAR FARM for consideration - DO IT. There are even more ears here now, listening and waiting for excellent music to write about. As a result, we'd like to again extend an invitation for any/all of everyone to send music our way. Even if you've sent things to EAR FARM in the past, please feel free to do so again. You can get in touch via MySpace or email or you can send physical packages to us too - just write and ask for the address.

Shall we then? What you'll see below is a list that covers all of the artists/bands featured on EAR FARM (since the last time one of these was posted) through the end of December 2007. This excludes the weekly features (such as Three For Free, 8+) and is more about bands that have gotten a band-specific write-up on EF. The quotes are from EAR FARM write-ups about the band and should help give you a mini-notion of what each artist is all about and should also clue you in as to why they've been featured on this site. Click the (+) to visit a previous EF posting about any of these bands and click the band name to go to their site.

New York based bands:
Department of Eagles (+) - very schizophrenic in its stylistic choices. Somehow, though, it's crafted in a very seamless way, perhaps due to the consistently casual and playful tone and hazy lo-fidelity production that meanders throughout the album.
The Forms (+) - Angular, tight, and yet soaring all at the same time.
Grizzly Bear (+) - every headphone-straining nuance of every song popped through the cathedral's sound system with clarity, urgency and confidence, most impressive among these being the band's ethereal vocal harmonies. These guys can sing. Each one of them.
Jaguar Club (+) - for certain they've spent time with Echo and with Morrissey and with early New Order and probably all of the others from this era/sub-genre as well...The Jaguar Club succeeds largely due to their dance inducing infectious energy.
Super Volcano (+) - they mix in elements of Beatles-esque harmony/arrangements (think of a garage-pop version of XTC) with the urgency, fire, and desperation found in certain songs by The Unicorns or They Might Be Giants.
The Walkmen (+) - Watching them on Wendesday, I remembered how perfectly their sound captured (and still does) the essence of stumbling wide-eyed around dark city streets clamoring to soak everything in at once.
White Rabbits (+) - a staggering wall of sound that is somehow both intricately woven while recklessly delivered. In other words, as a live band White Rabbits are the intriguing nexus between the ethereal sound of the Walkmen and the raucous attack of Man Man.
Yeasayer (+) - their group charisma (highlighted at each performance by lead singer Chris Keating's ability to explode as if inhabited by the spirit of Ian Curtis at one moment and then calmly sustain a beautiful vocal moment the next) cuts like a lighthouse beacon through the fog of doubtful NY concert goers, converting the stoic arm-folders and leaving everyone equally impressed.

Bands from elsewhere:
Arizona (+) - a band who is poised to join Okkervil River, My Morning Jacket and Wilco as the torchbearers of kickass American rock 'n roll music.
Bang Lime (+) - a raw, blues infused, '60s garage stomp that'll remind some of The White Stripes but had me thinking of how well they'd have fit in at CBGB in the '70s.
Black Kids (+) - an embryonic band unsure of how to deliver on the hype swirling about them...one notch above awful. A 1.7 on the Pitchfork scale.
The Captains (+) - Some of their songs come across as ready for tweenie TV show fame, some as Bling Kong-esque cheer-a-longs, some as guitar based pop-rock burners, and some as prime candidates for silly drunken karaoke.
Cut Off Your Hands! (+) - simple angular tunes that were derivative and uninteresting.
Graveyard (+) - This is riff rock ladies and gents, thunderous, cavernous RIFFS that get into your skull and make you do that annoying upper-lip curl when listening to it.
Helvetia (+) - Alternately aggressively wah-drenched and peppered with deft jazz voicings and delicate flourishes, this is the sort of album that makes me wish it was standard practice to list effects pedals and setups in liner notes.
Juiced Elfers (+) - a four piece partyfuntime '60s dance music inspired band that includes Nicolas Thorburn and Jamie Thompson of Unicorns/Islands fame.
Le Loup (+) - I was pleasantly surprised and impressed by them and the sheer size and gravitas of their sound.
Little Name (+) - delicate dream-pop, heavy on the '60s French/Bacharach sound, that's perhaps more closely aligned with St. Etienne and Camera Obscura
Megadeth (+) - one of the four great/original American thrash metal bands...extremely tight, professional, and awesome. Take no prisoners... take no shit!
Menomena (+) - a wholly original entity, forging a sound entirely their own through dynamic arrangements, innovative instrumentation, and a mastery of loops and samples that feels both playful and organic.
Nyles Lannon (+) - laptop pop - think Grandaddy and Postal Service, but from a place more similar to where Eilliot Smith and Simon & Garfunkel were coming from.
Pale Young Gentlemen (+) - Obvious references can be (and were) made to Beirut and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and such comparisons are definitely warranted and accurate. Their songwriting and arrangements also recall a more frenetic Die Romantik, and there's a charmingly ramshackle feel to these burlesque orchestral arrangements that are able to transcend their own playfulness...
Screaming Tea Party (+) - The aural equivalent is like shuffling between a sunshine-sweet children's song informed by Pachelbel's "Canon" and a B-side from In Utero. In other words, completely worth your time.
Stardeath and White Dwarfs (+) - Their sound in a live setting was a mixture of shoegaze, prog, and elements of fellow Oklahomans Evangelicals. For the first two songs I thought "yesss" and then by the fourth song I was ready for them to leave the stage.

To see the entire list of over 175 bands/artists that have been featured on EAR FARM click HERE.
--
As a special gift to all of the people who find this post by searching "who sings that Don't You Forget About Me song on Google", I'm going to answer your question for you with a song.

Listen:
"Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds

valentine's day EAR FARM's Top 15 Albums Of 2007

This is a re-post of EAR FARM's Top Albums Of 2007 list. Regular posting will resume Wednesday, the 2nd of January. Be sure to read the reader-decided 100th 8+ if you haven't already. Otherwise, have a look at EAR FARM's Tops of '07 Lists below and feel free to share your thoughts, criticisms, and/or your own lists.

Here's hoping you have a very happy New Year, and we'll see you in 2008!

What you'll find below is a list of our "top" 15 albums released in 2007. What does this mean? Favorites? Bests? Both, yes. These are the bests of our favorites. The most favorite-bests. We worked together as a team to come up with a list we both agreed on, fought and clawed for our favorites, and had to let go of some of them for the greater good. Ultimately, we're extremely pleased with the list we've come up with. So, after you check out the teaser list below, have a look at the big list inside by clicking through to continue reading/view comments. Once there, click the title of the album to purchase it, click the artist's name to go to their site, click the (+) to read what a variety of critics have to say, and click on the song name to listen to an MP3 from the respective album. As always, we welcome you to comment, complain, leave your own "tops of '07" list, or tag the comments to this post with graffiti.

EAR FARM's Top Albums Of 2007 #'s 15-11
15. Let's Stay Friends by Les Savy Fav
14. Red Album by Baroness
13. Marry Me by St. Vincent
12. Autumn of the Seraphs by Pinback
11. Eardrum by Talib Kweli


EAR FARM's Top 15 Albums Of 2007

15. Let's Stay Friends by Les Savy Fav (+) - listen: "Patty Lee"
valentine's day The real star of this album is guitarist Seth Jabour. Alternating between understated rhythms lurking at the back of the mix to insanely catchy lead lines dictating the entire direction of a given song, he gets my "Slash Award" for 2007. This isn't in recognition of technical virtuosity but rather for stuffing an entire album full of guitar parts that I can whistle along to from memory (except I can't whistle, so maybe just hum). Top to bottom, this is a really fun, uplifting, fist-pumping party album. - Mike

14. Red Album by Baroness (+) - listen: "The Birthing"
valentine's day Red Album is 2007's finest metal album and one I'm pretty sure you'd love if you only gave it a chance. I know, you scoff. You're ready to skip over this album because you don't need metal in your life. Oh but you do! And on this record Baroness has crafted an album that's just as heavy as it is ethereal, just as balls out riff-rocking as it is accessible. A metal album that's not very far off from what you might expect to hear from Isis, and yet entirely "Southern" and even partially "indie rock-ish". Huh? Trust me. For those about to rock, look no further. - Matt

13. Marry Me by St. Vincent (+) - listen: "Now Now"
valentine's day After spending time as a member of Sufjan Stevens' band and the Polyphonic Spree, Marry Me finds Annie Clark (St. Vincent) bursting into the music world like an excited child who's just returned from the zoo. While the record could've ended up sounding like an overly anxious artist's long awaited (messy) moment in the sun, Marry Me is anything but. Instead, it's a near-flawless debut and I can't wait for the follow up. - Matt

12. Autumn of the Seraphs by Pinback (+) - listen: "Good To Sea"
valentine's day When I heard grumblings that this was just like every other Pinback album I thought, "you mean it's filled with interlocking rhythms executed with swiss-clock precision beneath a bed of minor-chord hooks and twisting harmonies?", before leaving a vapor trail in my midst on the way to the record store. Knowing Rob Crow's tastes, if their last album was titled Summer in Abaddon and this one Autumn of the Seraphs, what are the odds their next one will be Winter in Middle Earth? - Mike

11. Eardrum by Talib Kweli (+) - listen: "The Perfect Beat (feat. KRS-One)"
valentine's day A two sided truth: I'm calling Eardrum 2007's best hip-hop album (yep, better than recent records from El-P and Pharaohe Monch) but it's possible that it could've been even better if Kweli (and his army of producers and guest stars) had been more stingy with the number of tracks included on the record. That's not to say there are bad songs dragging the album down, just that there was really no need to max out all 80 minutes on this CD by pumping it full of 20 tracks. It's perhaps the most disjointed and sprawling album on this list of great albums. So what I recommend is to split it in half, split it in thirds, listen to one song each day for the next three weeks - take it in in whatever way works for you, but whatever you do, don't miss it. The production and guest appearances are top notch and Kweli really goes above and beyond with his delivery/flow and, most of all, with his lyrics. The best in the business. - Matt

10. Strawberry Jam by Animal Collective (+) - listen: "Derek"
valentine's day As they've gotten more popular, the fidelity of Animal Collective albums has improved drastically. Listen to Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished next to Strawberry Jam and the difference is startling. I always identified the lo-fi soupy sonics of their previous albums as just another signature element of their sound, and when the sparkling-clean production of Strawberry Jam power-washed these imperfections away, it left me a bit cold. BUT, coming back to this album recently I realized that all along I guess I secretly wanted their older albums to sound better and bigger to do their songs proper justice. Guess what? Strawberry Jam does just that, and the album cooks as a result. It's also perhaps their most accessible effort as well. - Mike

9. Fort Nightly by White Rabbits (+) - listen: "While We Go Dancing" valentine's day We considered doing a nerdy list of best song sequences within albums, and for me that idea was partially born from listening to tracks 3-7 on Fort Nightly on continuous loop. And this isn't to suggest the album is front-loaded either, it's just THAT good. From songwriting and arrangements to instrumentation and delivery, this is an incredibly strong full-length debut. Good songs prevail. - Mike

8. All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone by Explosions In The Sky (+) - listen: "It's Natural To Be Afraid"
valentine's day I'm not a long-time fan of this band, but I know people who are. And I know they probably don't consider this the "best" album from Explosions In The Sky, but I'll tell you what: they're wrong. All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone is Explosions at their pinnacle, they've totally perfected their signature dramatic post-rock formula to create one of the most solid and complete works of art of any kind to come out in 2007. With tonal and melodic themes that seamlessly run throughout, it flows almost more like a symphony than a rock record. Listen to this alone, listen to it while driving, listen to it with headphones on, or listen on your stereo and wake up the neighbors. However you chose to experience this record, beware. Because if you let it, it will completely take over. - Matt

7. Friend Opportunity by Deerhoof (+) - listen: "The Perfect Me"
valentine's day Possibly better than The Runners Four, possibly Deerhoof's finest album, but not my favorite of theirs. It is, however, much better than most of the records released this year and has more than its fair share of fantastic/genius moments. - Matt

What a shame this was released way back in January. If they had pushed it to coincide with "blog awards season" like Oscar contenders do every fall, Friend Opportunity would probably be at the top of most lists, EAR FARM included (and c'mon, inclusion on these lists is comparable to winning an Oscar, right?). As it stands, this is just another run-of-the-mill Deerhoof album, meaning it's a kaleidoscopic cocktail of ingenious time shifts, starts, stops, freak-outs and childlike melodies that will knock you flat on your ass. I will always be anxiously awaiting whatever Deerhoof does next. - Mike

6. Friend And Foe by Menomena (+) - listen: "The Pelican"
valentine's day I've been told to check out this band in the past, I didn't listen. But for some reason one day at work I threw this album on and was hooked immediately. By what? By the rhythm and melody, rhythm... and melody. And also by the fact that this is one of the finest (pure) indie rock records I've heard since Funeral. Tops. And also, gotta love the sax work. - Matt

Two of my closest friends whose taste in music I will never question had been oohing and ahhhing about Menomena - and this album in particular - for quite some time. Late to the party as always (I also had cable tv taken away from me as a kid), the high expectations I already had for Friend And Foe increased even more upon nerding out to their incredible album art. So basically I was sold before I even pressed play. Turns out the album sounds incredible too. My friends are smart. - Mike

5. Person Pitch by Panda Bear (+) - listen: "Take Pills"
valentine's day Unlike most of the music dork world I didn't fall for this album in a big grand 'love at first listen' moment. I knew it was great, but I avoided overdoing it for the most part and took it in small doses. I'm glad for that. And though seeing Lennox perform (and by perform I mean ruin) Panda Bear material live nearly destroyed my appreciation of what he's accomplished here, it simply couldn't because the album is so damn good. - Matt

I must have listened to this for three weeks straight when it first came out. I listened to it in the car, on the subway, at my desk and even while watching NCAA March Madness (on mute) on television. Therefore, it's entirely my fault and not Noah Lennox's that Person Pitch gradually lost some of its magic as the year wore on. Listening to it again, traces of its original irresistible charm still come through, and if we were making this list according to how we felt upon first hearing an album this would no doubt be my numero uno. - Mike

4. Sky Blue Sky by Wilco (+) - listen: "You Are My Face"
valentine's day Whoa whoa whoa, what's with all the "dad-rock" hullabaloo surrounding this album? Really? Guess what? If this is "dad-rock" then fuel up my minivan and put socks under my Birkenstocks because it KICKS ASS. Yes, I too was head-over-heels in love with "experimental phase" Wilco and I kinda sorta feel your pain, but how did Sky Blue Sky become labeled as a simple, paint-by-numbers album? Tweedy may have traded in some of the overt weirdness of his previous two albums for a more coherent and band-oriented sound, but in doing so he managed to capture for the first time on record Wilco's standing as the tightest and most musically gifted rock band in America. - Mike

3. We Are Him by Angels Of Light (+) - listen: "We Are Him"
valentine's day We Are Him is the best album released in 2007 that nobody is talking about. It's exactly what I'd always hoped for when listening to other Angels Of Light records, what Michael Gira has always hinted at but never quite achieved. It's frightening, difficult, droning, hypnotic, intimate, sprawling, lonely, paranoid, communal, unique, confrontational, abrasive, beautiful, and perfect. It's a good step or ten darker than most Goth rock you'll find kids with black fingernails listening to - it's what The Doors must've sounded like in their peyote fueled dreams, hoping for a sound they never quite realized. It's like Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, but better. The song posted here is simply to offer you a taste; however, this is truly a record to be experienced as a whole. Like a great book, you must work through the album with patience and fortitude and get familiar with its landscape before it will really payoff. And when it does payoff (multiple times throughout the album), I'll betcha dollars to donuts that you end up agreeing with Gira's proclamation that he is, indeed, “the god of this fucking land”. - Matt

2. Boxer by The National (+) - listen: "Mistaken for Strangers"
valentine's day Alright, go ahead and check me in to hyperbolics anonymous. "Hi, my name is Matt and I like to exaggerate." Right? Oh wait, I haven't offered the proof yet. Here: Boxer is a perfect record. Yeah? Is that good enough? I've only said 'perfect' some 35 times in the last hour. So it seems. Actually, I've only said 'perfect' twice, but then my hyperbolic statement regarding how many times I've recently said the word 'perfect' should be proof enough that I've got an exaggerating problem. We all do. Look, I know it's not going to blow your mind when I tell you this, because it's being said in so many places, but what The National have achieved on Boxer is nothing short of a masterpiece. They one-upped themselves; no actually, they've plain and simply blown Alligator right out of the water. I tried my damnedest to not be one of the many who love this record, thinking that I might retain some fraction of individuality by doing so. How idiotic. You know what? You're right. Boxer is not as good as all of us weenies are saying... it's better. - Matt

I don't have quite the obsession that Matt does with this album and I attribute that to being a bit underwhelmed by seeing them live and having that taint Boxer just in the slightest. That being said, I still spun it on repeat for a 10-hour round-trip car ride and didn't even consider listening to anything else. This is like The Blob of 2007 albums. It slithers and oozes forth and seeps into you and wraps itself around you until you have no choice but to submit and be one with it. - Mike

1. In Rainbows by Radiohead (+) - listen: "House of Cards" + "Up On The Ladder" (from disc 2)
valentine's day Are you excited to read yet another yokel's opinons about In Rainbows? Gooood. I'll try to keep it somewhat short...and in doing so will go back to 1995. That year a new tradition started with The Bends in which I would try to buy every subsequent Radiohead album on the day of its release (including hunting down Kid A in Australia in 2000). That mini-streak ended with In Rainbows. Not only did I not "buy" it on its "release day", but I didn't even pay anything for it when I did get it. Charlatan! I know I know, let me explain. Having been disappointed all year with the efforts of other heavy-hitters (cough cough Arcade Fire) I couldn't bring myself to be let down by another big band's big release. Now, two months later I can breathe easy again. Isn't it nice and orderly when the best band in the world also delivers the best album of the year? It makes me think all is momentarily right. Now excuse me while I go redeem karma points by purchasing this on vinyl. - Mike

Okay computer, please don't let me mention how Mike needs to hurry up with buying In Rainbows on vinyl before the karma police come after him with knives out; because, I might be wrong but, that would be a bit of a let down for me to pun so poorly... shit, is this thing on? Damn. Remember how awful peoples' puns and references to Radiohead used to be back in the late '90s? I do. It was "ok computer this" and "karma police" that. Ugh. I remember. I also remember how good Pablo Honey was, how great The Bends was, how (here I go again) perfect Ok Computer and Kid A were, how great Amnesiac was, and how Hail To The Thief saw Radiohead (in my mind) return to just simply "pretty great". That's what happens when you set impossibly high standards as a band. Each time Radiohead drops an album I expect perfection, and while I'm not yet 100% sure that In Rainbows is "better" than Boxer, I WILL be sure in mere minutes when I open this package sitting in front of me and finally get to hear this sucker on vinyl with headphones on. UPDATE: No joke, I'm writing this now an hour and a half later. Today I received my special edition In Rainbows box set (all kinds of awesome artwork and packaging along with the album on vinyl (2 discs) and a bonus CD of b-sides) in the mail and it turns out that it was worth the wait, and worth every penny I paid for it. In Rainbows, on vinyl, with proper headphones on, my goodness. Also, disc 2 contains at least four tracks well worth checking out. As a test subject in the great Radiohead marketing/distribution experiment of 2007 I must say that I'm completely satisfied on all levels. But most importantly, the music... In 2007 Radiohead proved, once again, that they're simply in a league of their own. - Matt
--
And there you have it. EAR FARM's Top 15 Albums of 2007. Sure, the top two spots might not have shocked anyone, but when there are albums out there as good as Boxer and In Rainbows, what do you expect? That we ignore the truth and force something else into the top spot just to be different? Yes? Okay, well maybe next year. For now you'll have to deal with the list above. Or, if you're still thirsty for even MORE list action, check out the extra bonus lists below.

Beyond that - now it's your turn. Go ahead and offer up your criticisms and questions and name calling and all the whatever you call it... Mostly we'd like to see YOUR "tops of '07" lists, or links to your lists elsewhere, or whatever else you've got for us - so let us have it/them. And, as always, thanks for reading.


10 albums (5 from each of us) that nearly made EAR FARM's top 15

5. Dandelion Gum by Black Moth Super Rainbow - From the first note this album pulls you, floating and weightless, past tangerine trees and marmalade skies as if you're a character in one of Timothy Leary's dreams. My God, the SYNTHS! - Matt

Listen: "They Live In the Meadow"

4. In Advance Of The Broken Arm by Marnie Stern - I'm not the first person to say so, but if this album were 6 songs shorter it'd be a masterpiece of an EP. 'Addition by subtraction' is my key phrase of suggestion to musicians for 2008. - Matt

Listen: "Every Single Line Means Something"

3. I'll Sleep When You're Dead by El-P - Paranoid, introspective, sci-fi infused, a near-masterpiece, and the perfect hip-hop soundtrack for nerds who live in the city. - Matt

Listen: "Tasmanian Pain Coaster"

2. Untrue by Burial - An icily stark (in a Martin Hannett kind of way) and dark "dance" record that truly furthers trip hop/garage/dubstep by shining a soft light on what made the genres such underground favourites in the '90s. - Matt

Listen: "Raver"

1. Ire Works by Dillinger Escape Plan - Combining their ferocious chops with a fearless desire to explore elements of prog and hardcore, metal and math-rock, jazz (?!) and (at long last) pop-rock (see the song below), Dillinger Escape Plan have made one of the very best albums of the year. Easily. - Matt

Listen: "Black Bubblegum"

--

5. Armchair Apocrypha by Andrew Bird - Haunting, shimmering, contemplative, dramatic, and just out-and-out purrty. This album really surprised me and is certainly worthy of all the hype and praise it's received. - Mike

Listen: "Imitosis"

4. The Good, The Bad & The Queen by The Good, The Bad & The Queen - Perhaps unfairly dismissed for failing to sound like a proper "supergroup", the disarmingly relaxed and casual vibe of this album actually works in its favor and throws a relaxed and casual middle finger at those who feel differently. - Mike

Listen: "Green Fields"

3. The Stage Names by Okkervil River - A wonderfully ambitious and rock-solid album that also contains some of my favorite lyrics of the year. You had me at "hundredth luftballon" Mr. Sheff. - Mike

Listen: "Plus Ones"

2. Shaky Hands by The Shaky Hands - Largely ignored, this self-titled debut is an endearingly messy pop postcard from the Pacific Northwest and winner of the "Sounding the Most Like a Sub Pop Album Without Actually Being on Sub Pop" award. - Mike

Listen: "Maker Make"

1. Random Spirit Lover by Sunset Rubdown - A mini masterpiece and overall my favorite record not on the big list above. Spencer Krug has the productivity of Lil' Wayne and the mad genius vibe of Brian Wilson. - Mike

Listen: "The Mending of the Gown"

EAR FARM's Top 7 EPs Of 2007
Arizona - Frameseeker and the Mono
British Sea Power - Krankenhaus?
Dead Confederate - Dead Confederate
Goes Cube - Beckon The Dagger God
Grizzly Bear - Friend EP
The Muggabears - Night Choreography
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - IS IS


10 albums that just aren't our thing, no matter how good everyone else says they are
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Beirut - The Flying Cub Cup
Dan Deacon - Spiderman Of The Rings
Deerhunter - Cryptograms
Dirty Projectors - Rise Above
Justice - †
Miranda Lambert - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
Kanye West - Graduation


10 albums from this year that let us down
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Art Brut - It's A Bit Complicated
Band Of Horses - Cease To Begin
Brakes - The Beatific Visions
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Some Loud Thunder
Dungen - Tio Bitar
PJ Harvey - White Chalk
Liars - Liars
Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga


15 artists whose 2008 album we're really excited about
Ambulance LTD.
The Breeders
British Sea Power
Built To Spill
The Cure
Goes Cube
Guns N' Roses (nudge nudge wink wink)
Islands
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
Morrissey
Nine Inch Nails
The Secret Life of Sofia
Silver Jews
Tapes 'n Tapes
Wolf Parade

----

See also:
- EAR FARM's Top 8+ Posts Of 2007
- EAR FARM's Top Songs Of 2007
- EAR FARM's Top Ten Bands To Emerge in 2007 & Ten To Watch Out For in 2008
- EAR FARM's Top Concerts of 2007